Oktoberfest!

Nothing says Fall like a trip to the mountains in October. Kevin and I drove up to Helen, Georgia this weekend to meet our dear friends, the Lee’s,  for the Dirty Spokes 12-hour mountain bike race at Unicoi state park. After the race, we packed up and hit Main Street where Oktoberfest was in full swing.

Kevin was jonesin’ for some authentic German food so we made a bee-line to The Old Bavaria Inn upon the suggestion of a local gentleman. I couldn’t resist the Hungarian Goulash soup with beef, pork, and potatoes. Kevin was drawn in by the wurst sausage plate special: 4 sausages (bratwurst, weisswurst, knockwurst, and 1 other wurst who’s name eludes me) served with red cabbage, sauerkraut, and homemade German potato salad. Does it get any more German than that?

Afterwards, we grabbed a couple of funnel cakes and continued our stroll along Main Street which made for some excellent people-watching. It was reminiscent of Mardi Gras minus the floats with plenty of lederhosen and Alpine hats thrown in.

Sunday morning, we drove to Brasstown Bald and were treated to breathtaking views of the mountainside dotted with autumn colors with the peak shrouded in fog. Afterwards, we drove on to Blairsville and enjoyed a hearty country breakfast at the Hole in the Wall restaurant. Hands-down the best bacon and pancakes I’ve had outside of my kitchen in quite some time.

A wonderful weekend with great friends, gorgeous scenery, crisp autumn morns, and of course plenty of good food to go ’round. Come back tomorrow when I’ll share my split-level pudding. I’m a week behind with my Tuesdays With Dorie baking, but you can’t very well hold a grudge against someone willing to share their chocolate ganache with you, now can you? See you tomorrow!